1. Faculty members and administrators have a right to expect that workloads will be distributed equitably and carried out efficiently and effectively. The purpose of this PPS is to define the way that workloads of faculty members are determined and monitored.
   
2. This document also establishes the policy and responsibilities for monitoring and reporting faculty workload, and for reporting workload compliance to the Coordinating Board for fall and spring semesters.
   

3. One workload credit is defined as one semester credit hour of organized undergraduate instruction or the equivalent. The minimum workload requirement established by Section 51.402 of the Education code is nine semester credit hours per semester (nine workload units). At Texas State University-San Marcos the normal workload for full-time faculty is twelve semester credit hours per semester (twelve workload units). For most tenure-track faculty at Texas State, this twelve workload unit standard is fulfilled by teaching three classes (9 workload credits) and conducting research at a level that warrants the awarding of three workload credits. Faculty teaching PhD classes fulfill the twelve hour workload unit standard by teaching two classes (6 hours workload credit), conducting research (3 workload credits) and mentoring doctoral student research (3 credit hours). Faculty with less than full-time appointments have proportionally reduced minimum and normal workloads.
   
4. For the purpose of workload determination, a faculty member is defined as an individual who is either directly responsible for teaching a course for resident credit or is paid from the appropriations item "Faculty Salaries."
   
5. According to the Coordinating Board formula definition, Faculty Salaries is the appropriations item that provides funds to pay ". . . those engaged in the teaching function, including heads of teaching departments." Also paid from Faculty Salaries are individuals "...who are responsible for a class or class section, or a quiz, drill, or laboratory section." Not included are the salaries or wages of guest lecturers or of student assistants, laboratory assistants, and graders whose duties involve grading, clerical functions, store keeping, and preparation of class or laboratory material or other subordinate functions."
   
6. The full professional responsibilities in the career of a tenured or tenure-track faculty member includes his/her obligations to the University for teaching, conducting scholarly/creative activities, and providing service to the University and/or the profession. The professional responsibilities of other faculty members may include teaching, conducting scholarly/creative activities, or service. The division of the obligations outlined above may vary from individual to individual, and change over time.
   
7. Every faculty member has continuing professional obligations beyond the workload expectations outlined in this policy. These obligations include activities such as reading the appropriate literature and otherwise remaining current in his/her professional field and participating in institutional governance.
   

8. At Texas State, a faculty member's professional responsibilities for each semester are determined by the department chair, subject to the approval of the school dean. Chairs are responsible for assuring that individual faculty members' workloads comply with the University's workload policy. Chairs are also responsible for assuring that faculty obligations are fairly distributed among faculty members within the department. In meeting this responsibility, chairs should attempt to match the needs of the department and the University as outlined in the department's goals for teaching, scholarly/creative activity, and service with the individual professional goals of each faculty member, recognizing that these goals are likely to change over the course of a faculty member's career.
   
9. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for implementing the workload policy. The Provost and the deans are jointly responsible for reviewing school and department workloads and monitoring compliance.
   
10. Section 51.402 of the Education Code requires that if any faculty member in an institution is found in violation of that institutions workload regulations, the Coordinating Board must impose a twelve-hour classroom teaching load on all full-time faculty in the institution. The procedures for completing workload compliance reports to assure that this standard is met are outlined in Attachment 1 . Codes that are used to complete this report are outlined in Attachment 2.
    

11. Workload credit is accrued in two general areas, classroom teaching and other professional responsibilities. All activities that accrue faculty workload credit should be assessed to maintain acceptable standards of accountability.
    
    1. Generally, a faculty member earns three semester hours of workload or three workload credits by teaching a three-semester-hour organized undergraduate class for one semester. "Per course" faculty appointments are calculated at one-half the rate of percentage time appointments, i.e., a per course appointment to teach one three-hour course generally earns 1.5 workload credits.
       
    2. Department chairs may assign workload credits to faculty whose activities cannot be measured accurately under this general guideline or who perform academic duties outside the classroom that enhance the teaching/learning process.
       
    3. The total workload credits earned should also be used to monitor the distribution of work assignments within each department and across departments.

WORKLOAD CREDITS FOR TEACHING

12. Workload is calculated for courses, labs, and clinics using the semester credit hour value of the course, course contact hours, the number of students enrolled on the twelfth class day, or the total semester credit hour production of the class. Attachment 3 summarizes the workload credits normally assigned to various types of activities. Department chairs may assign workload credits that differ from these normal levels because of unusual demands of particular courses. The following paragraphs describe the normal methods for assigning workload credit and workload credit adjustments.
    
13. Combined Classroom/Laboratory Calculation . Faculty members who teach other than three semester credit hour courses earn workload credit equal to the semester credit hour value of the course. In cases where classes and laboratories for a class are organized and supervised separately, the faculty member earns workload credit based upon actual course responsibilities. In such cases, department chairs may develop appropriate calculation methods for allocating these responsibilities among faculty members involved in instruction. In cases where a single faculty member has full responsibility for a class that includes both lecture and laboratory work, Attachment 4 provides an equivalence table for crosswalk between contact or clock hour values and comparable workload units.
    
14. Stacked Class Calculation . Workload credit for a single class composed of two or more courses or class sections (stacked classes) will be granted only for one class.
    
15. Graduate Organized Class Adjustment . The department chair may assign up to one and one-half times the undergraduate units for graduate workload credit. This assignment is appropriate only when preparation, instructional management, grading demands, or research activities related to the graduate teaching assignment are excessive when compared to undergraduate departmental courses.
    
16. Large Class Adjustment . The department chair may assign up to six workload credits to a faculty member teaching a large class (enrollment of 101 or more students). This assignment is appropriate only when preparation, instructional management, or grading demands of a large class on the faculty member are excessive when compared to other departmental courses.
    
17. Team Teaching Adjustment . Faculty members who team teach organized classes will proportionally share the workload credits computed for that class in accordance with the distribution of responsibilities. In exceptional cases involving substantial time and effort and with written permission from the Provost, up to three workload credits per semester may be granted to each participant.
    
18. Laboratory Coordination Adjustment . The department chair may grant appropriate workload credit to a faculty member who coordinates multiple sections of laboratories or who conducts laboratories with extraordinary supervisory responsibilities. General guidelines for granting these adjustments are given in Attachment 4 .
    
19. Clinic Supervision Adjustment . If the workload credits for a clinic are not in proportion to actual contact hours per week, the chair may assign appropriate credit to the teacher of the clinic, for a maximum of no more than three workload credits for each ten students supervised.
    
20. Individual Instruction Adjustment
    
    1. Student Teacher Supervision Adjustment . The chair may assign up to one workload credit for each twelve semester credit hours produced through student teacher supervision.
       
    2. Undergraduate Individual Instruction Adjustment . The chair may assign up to one workload credit for each twelve semester credit hours produced through undergraduate individual instruction.
       
    3. Graduate Individual Instruction Adjustment . The chair may assign up to one workload credit for each six semester credit hours produced through graduate individual instruction.
       
    4. Undergraduate Internship Adjustment . The chair may assign up to one workload credit for each twelve semester credit hours produced through undergraduate internship supervision.
       
    5. Graduate Internship Adjustment . The chair may assign up to one workload credit for each six semester credit hours produced through graduate internship supervision.
       
    6. Private Music Lessons Adjustment . The chair may assign up to .66 workload credit for each two semester credit hours produced through private music lessons.
       
    7. Graduate Thesis/Dissertation Supervision Adjustment. The chair may assign up to one workload credit for each six semester credit hours produced through graduate thesis or dissertation supervision.

21. Chairs and deans may assign credit to faculty members for other appropriate professional responsibilities as outlined below. Codes for the equivalent workload credits listed below are contained in Attachment 2.
    
22. Academic Activity Adjustment . Workload credit may be granted to a faculty member for preparing major documents in the fulfillment of programmatic needs or accreditation requirements. Workload credit may also be granted for duties performed in the best interest of the institution's instructional programs as determined by the Provost.
    
23. Administrative Activity Adjustment . Workload credit may be granted for a faculty member who chairs certain committees, task forces, the Faculty Senate, or who performs other administrative activities.
    
24. Professional Activity Adjustment . Workload credit may be granted for professional activities such as editing a professional journal, or serving as an officer in a professional organization.
    
25. Research/Grant Activity Adjustment . Workload credit may be granted to faculty participating in major research or grant related activities.
    
26. Academic Advisement Adjustment . Workload credit may be granted for major academic advising responsibilities.
    
27. Developmental Leave Adjustment . Up to twelve workload credits per semester may be assigned to a faculty member who is awarded a Faculty Developmental Leave by the Board of Regents.
    
28. Presidential Assignment Adjustment . The dean and/or the Provost may recommend a special presidential assignment leave for an administrator who vacates his/her administrative assignment to resume faculty status with a full-time teaching assignment. With approval from the President, up to twelve workload units per semester may be granted for this or other special presidential assignments.
    
29. Chair Adjustment . Workload credit will be granted for chairing an academic department on the basis outlined in PPS 1.03.
    
30. Program Director/Program Chair Adjustment . Workload credit may be granted for a faculty member who directs a program, center, clinic, or similar unit.
    
31. Accrued Workload Credit Adjustment . Workload credits above normal workloads may be accrued for a period of three years from the date it was earned. The application of such accrued credits during a subsequent semester within a three year period is the decision of the chair, based on the staffing needs of the department. A faculty member with accrued workload credit may use no more than six credits in any one spring or fall semester.
    
32. Emergency Workload Adjustment . Teaching loads will, of course, fluctuate because of illness, sudden emergencies, and unanticipated needs, which may force a faculty member to accept a higher load temporarily or to request a lighter load during a stated period. All temporary exceptions to the basic teaching load policy should be in writing, and should carry the approval of the dean of the appropriate school.
    

33. This PPS has been approved by the reviewer listed below and represents Texas State's Division of Academic Affairs policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.
    

Texas State University-San Marcos
Last Updated: December 4, 2003
Send comments and questions to: tg12@txstate.edu